RENTON, Wash. -- Free safety Earl Thomas and Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll were right Sunday. The league office informed Carroll that the interference call on Thomas, when he came up with what would have been an interception, was the wrong call.

Thomas was covering Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Skye Dawson on a deep sideline route. Thomas' left arm was up against Dawson’s chest while Thomas was looking back for the ball.

Carroll and Thomas both were surprised at the interference call, so Carroll asked the NFL office on Monday for a clarification.

“They told me it shouldn’t have been called,” Carroll said Wednesday. “When a defensive back placed his hands in an arm-barring position, they have to decide if he actually impeded the progress of the receiver. If you don’t, then it’s not a foul. That’s what they determined. I want to applaud those guys for getting to the truth.”

Carroll wanted an answer so they could tell their defensive backs what was legal in a similar situation.

“We wanted to be clear on telling out players if they can place their hand on the receiver,’ Carroll said. “It was very incidental. Next time, they’ll call it the other way.”

Thomas didn’t have any doubt he was in the right all along.

“I knew that was going to happen,” Thomas said. “That’s means a lot. But I learn from those experiences and played through it.”